Combined starter and ignition switch



March 3, 1953 R. w. HEPT 2,630,502

COMBINED STARTER AND IGNITION SWITCH Filed Feb. l5, 1951 A 3 Sheets-Sheet l March 3, 1953 R. w. HEPT COMBINED STARTER AND IGNITION SWITCH Filed Feb. 15, 1951 HZLE March 3, 1953 R. w. HEFT 2,630,502

COMBINED STARTER AND IGNITION SWITCH Filed Feb. l5, 1951 Sheets-Sheet 3 L11/E l-IET Patented Mar. 3, 1953 CODIBINED STARTER AND IGNITION SWITCH Ralph W. Hept, Dayton, Ohio, assigner to Kingston Products Corporation, Kokomo, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application February 15, 1951, Serial No. 211,065

7 Claims.

This invention relates generally to composite switch mechanisms and more particularly to a combined starter-ignition-accessory switch for the electrical system of an automotive vehicle.

According to the principles of the present invention, a composite ignition-starter-accessory switch is provided including a rotatable carrier having means to complete an ignition circuit or an accessory circuit upon selected predetermined rotation thereof, and a second carrier is slidably mounted in the rst carrier with means thereon adapted to complete a starter circuit upon predetermined translation thereof. The switch components are drivingly connected to a key-actuated lock which includes rotatable and translatable elements to selectively rotate the first carrier and displace the second carrier.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved switching structure which is composite in character so as to efciently and selectively control the ignition, accessory and starter electrical circuits of an automotive vehicle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a composite ignition-starter switch having a key-actuated lock rotatably and reciprocably actuatable in a turn-push sequence to sequentially close an ignition circuit and thereafter selectively control a starter motor circuit.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved composite switch structure which is made from a reduced number of simplied elements and which is easy to operate and economical to produce.

Many other features, advantages and additional objects of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description which follows and the accompanying sheets of drawings upon which preferred forms and structural embodiments of composite switch structures incorporating the principles of my invention are set forth.

On the drawings:

Figure l is a cross-sectional view with parts shown in elevation and with parts broken away taken substantially on line II-II of Figure 1;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view with parts shown in elevation and with parts broken away taken substantially on line II-II of Figure 2;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view with parts shown in elevation and with parts removed taken substantially on line III--III of Figure 2 Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view 2 showing additional details of construction of the structure provided in Figure 2 and taken on a plane substantially at right angles to the crosssectional plane of Figure 2;

Figure -5 is a reduced end elevational view of a carrier member employed in the apparatus;

Figure 6 is an elevational View of the base member showing the disposition of the contact terminals thereon;

Figures 7, 8, 9 and 10 are similar to Figure 6 but show in phantom the bridging contact elements mounted on the rst and second carriers of the switch structure positioned as such contacts would be located in various operational positions of the switching mechanism components;

Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view with parts shown in elevation and with parts broken away showing an alternative form of switching structure provided in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 12 is an elevational view of the base member provided for the switching structure shown in Figure 11;

Figure 13 is an end elevational View looking into the open end of the switch structure housing of Figure 11 before assembly of the base member therewith and showing the carrier components positioned in the housing;

Figure 14 is a reduced cross-sectional view with parts removed for the sake of clarity and with parts shown in elevation taken substantially on line XIV--XIV of Figure 11;

Figure 15 is an end elevational view of the carrier member employed in the switching structure of Figure 11; and

Figure 16 is an enlarged fragmentary crosssectional view taken substantially on line XVI-- XVI of Figure 6.

As shown on the drawings:

A composite switching structure is indicated generally ,by the reference numeral 20 and in-Y cludes a housing 2| of generally cylindrical conguration terminating at one end in a reduced diameter neck 22 threaded as at 23 to receive a.v cap 24.

In the neck 22 is situated a lbarrel 26 reciprocatorily slidable in the neck 22 and rotatably carrying a cylinder 2'1 having a keyho1e opening 28110 receive a key 29 operably conforming to the tumbler pattern of the tumblers (not shown) contained within the cylinder' 21.

A rst carrier indicated generally by the reference numeral 3U ispositioned within the housing 2| and a base member closes the open end of the housing 2|, the edges of the housing 2| being peened over as at 32 Ito retain the switching components in assembly with one another.

The base member 3| comprises an electrically non-conductive material shaped to conform to the configuration of the housing 2| and suitably apertured to seat a plurality of terminal posts 33. In the embodiment of Figure 2, there are four terminal posts 33, one of the terminal posts having a head portion of reduced thickness such as at 34 (Figure 2). An insulating washer 36 is provided with three spaced apertures, two of which receive the heads of two of the corresponding terminal posts 33 and the other being enlarged to receive one of the heads of the terminal posts 33 as well as to receive and expose the ends of a pair of jumpers 31 connected to two of the terminal posts 33.

Referring particularly to Figures 6 and 16, it will be noted that each of the jumpers 31 includes a bent clip member suitably apertured to receive a terminal post 33 and having a contact portion offset to lie flush with the surface of the insulatin g washer 36.

` The barrel 26 is normally retained in the position shown in Figure 2 by a resilient biasing means such as a coil spring 38 interposed between the barrel 26 and the first carrier member 3|). Through the center of this coil spring 38 extends a stem 39 which is connected to the cylinder 21 so as to be co-rotatable therewith and co-reciprocable with the barrel 26. The end of the stem 39 is provided with a camming surface 39a, the purpose of which will become manifest presently. Referring particularly to Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5, it will be noted that the first carrier 36 comprises a generally cylindrical block of electrically non-conductive material. On one face of the block, a pair of recesses 40 are provided each of which seating a coil spring 4| arranged to resiliently urge a ball 42 toward a radially extending wall 43 located between the enlarged section of the housing 2| and the neck 22.

The wall 43 is provided with a plurality of radially spaced apart detent recesses 44 arranged to receive the balls 42 and together with the springs 4| comprising a spring biased detent means to retain the first carrier 36 in selected angular position relative to the housing 2|.

An arcuate clearance 46 is provided along one edge of the first carrier 30 to provide a pair of radially spaced-apart shoulders 41 and 48 effectively cooperable with a lug 49 formed as an integral part of the housing 2| to provide limiting means controlling the amount of angular adjustment of the carrier 30 in the housing 2|.

A generally rectangular slot 56 is cut out of the opposite face of the carrier 36 and slidingly receives a second carrier therein, the second carrier 5| being laterally translatable along a reciprocatory path relative to the turning axis of thecarrier 3|] against the bias of a coil spring 52 having one end received in a recess 53 formed in the second carrier 5| and the other end abuttingly engageable with the carrier 30 at the end of the slot 50.

An opening 54 is provided in the carrier 30 to receive the stem 39 and an opening 56 is formed in the second carrier 5| to lie in registry with the opening54. As will. be noted on Figure 4, the opening 56 is of irregular configuration, thereby to provide a camming surface 51 cooperable with the camming surface 39a formed on the end of the stem 39. Thus, as the stem 39 is plunged inwardly by movement of the barrel 26 inwardly against the bias of the spring 38, the second carrer 5| will be laterally displaced along its path of reciprocation in the slot 50 against the bias of the spring 52.

A recess 58 is provided in the second carrier 5| to seat a coil spring 59, the free end of the spring 59 engaging a U-shaped bridging contact member 60. i

The carrier 36 is also recessed as at 6| to accommodate a spring-biased bridging contact member 62, the structural details of which being similar to a bridging contact member to be described in connection with the embodimentsI of Figures 11 and 13, In Figures 7, 8, 9 and 10, the bridging contact member 68 and the bridging contact member 62 are shown in phantom in relation to their respective positions when cooperating with the heads of the binding posts 33.

The operational Ycharacteristics of the composite switching structure 2D can best be understood by referring to Figures 6-10. For the sake of clarity, the head portions of lthe terminal posts 33 which form spaced-apart contact members adapted to be selectively bridged by the bridging contact members 60 and 62 carried on thecarriers 30 and 5| are each indicated by one of the reference characters A, B, C and D. Since the head portion 34 of one of the binding posts 33 is insulated by the insulating washer 36, the reference character D is applied to the jumper 31 associated therewith.

In Figure '1, the switching components are shown in off position. It may be noted that the bridging contact member |52 is provided with a plurality of depressed toe portions to promote intimate electrical engagement with the contacts A, B and C and also to suiciently space the body portion of the bridging contact member 62 away from the contacts A, B and C so as to avoid possible short circuiting. Thus, in the Figure 7 olf position, the toe portions of the bridging contact member 62 are each situated in an in-l active location and the bridging contact member 6|) merely engages the contact C and therefore effects no bridging function.

It will be understood that although the principles of the present invention are as general application, the composite switching structure 20 finds a particularly useful application when employed to control various circuits of an automotive electrical system. In an automotive electrical system, it is frequently desirable to separately energize an accessory circuit without concurrently energizing other electrical circuits, for example, the ignition circuit.

To facilitate such procedure, the key 29 may be turned to the left, thereby angularly displacing the barrel 26 which, in turn, through the stem 39 rotatably drives the first carrier 33, whereupon the bridging contact member E52 will complete` an electric circuit between the contacts A and B to whichmay be connected the leads of the accessory circuit. In this position, the bridging contact member 58 moves to an inactive position.

In order to concurrently energize both the accessory circuit and the ignition circuit of an automotive electrical system, the key 26 may be turned to the right whereupon the barrel 23 will be angularly displaced and, together with the stem 39, will drive the rst carrier 38 through a predetermined angular distance whereupon the bridging contact member 62 will complete a closed circuit between the contacts A, B and C to which the ignition and accessory circuit leads may be connected. bridging Contact member 66 is in an inactivepo- It will be noted that in this position the sition but is positioned opposite the jumper 'ele-' starter motor, the key 29 is plunged inwardly,`

whereupon the barrel 26 will be slidably displaced in the neck 22 against the compression of the coil spring 38. This movement is shown in Figure 1 Where the initial position of the barrel 26 is shown in ull lines and the innermost position is shown in dotted lines. The cylinder 21 and the stem 39 will be carried along therewith so that the cam surface 39a on the end of the stem 39 will drivingly engage the cam surface 5l on the second carrier 5I to laterally displace same against the compression of the coil spring 52. By so doing, the bridging contact member 60 will be moved into the position shown in Figure. l to effectively complete the electric circuit between the contact D and the contact C by bridging the jumper elements 31. It will be understood that the starter motor will be connected in circuit with the contacts C and D,

Upon release of the key 29, the spring 38 will drive the barrel 26 to its initial position and the coil spring 52 will again return the second car.- rier l to its initial position whereupon the components of the switching mechanism will be restored to the position shown in Figure 9.

In Figure 1l is shown an alternative structural embodiment of the composite switching structure 23 which is provided in accordance with the principles of the present invention. Where possible, similar reference numerals distinguished by the suiiix a will be used to identify the components of this alternative embodiment.

The switch structure is indicated generally by the reference numeral 28a and includes a housing 21a having an enlarged portion and a reduced diameter neck 22a terminating in a threaded portion 23a and closed by a cap 24a engageabie with the threaded portion 23a.

A lock is provided having a barrel 26a slidable in the bore of the neck 22a and including a polarizing rib 25 received by a suitable groove formed in the bore of the neck 22a. to prevent relative rotation between the barrel 26u and the neck 22a..

A cylinder 21a is rotatably carried in the barrel 26a and contains the usual tumblers (not shown) to cooperate with the key 29a.

Positioned 'within the housing 2 la is a rst carrier Sea and the end of the housing 21a is closed by a base member 31a tightly gripped by the turned-over portions 32a formed on the housing Zia after the switching apparatus components are in assembled relationship.

Four terminal posts 33a are provided in the base member 31a. in spaced-apart relationship to one another, each of the terminal posts 33a having an enlarged head portion forming a contact member indicated on Figure 12 by the reference characters A', B', C and D', respectively.

An insulating washer 36c suitably apertured to expose the contacts A', B' and C' engagingly abuts the base member Sla and covers the contact D.

The rst carrier a comprises a ring of electrically non-conductive material and is provided with a central aperture 50a extending therethrough to slidably receive a second carrier 51a.-

As shown in Figure l5, one face of the carrier 30a is provided with a plurality of equally spacedapart recesses 40a in each of which a coil spring 4 a is seated. One edge of the carrier 30a is also recessed as at 46a to provide a pair of radially spaced-apart shoulders 41a and 48a, the recess 46a being adapted to cooperate with a lug 49a provided in the housing 21a for the purpose of limiting the relative angular displacement between the carrier 30a and the housing 21a.

The opposite face of the carrier 30a is characterized by an annular rib Bia as well as a plurality of spaced-apart recesses 63 each seating a small coil spring 64, the coil spring B4, in turn, resiliently mounting a bridging contact member 62a. The bridging contact member 62a is of general arcuate configuration and comprises a generally U-shaped segment having a plurality of depressed toe portions 6B which not only promote good electrical engagement with the contacts A', B and C but also furnish seating recesses for the coil springs 64. A plurality of clip portions 61 are turned over along one edge of the bridging contact member 52a to be received by correspondingly spaced slots 68 formed in the carrier 30a, the inside edge of the `contact members 62a being adjacent the annular rib 6 I a.

The second carrier Ela comprises a generally cylindrical member having a slot 69 cut thereinto to receive a U-shaped bridging contact member 60a, the slot 69 being enlarged by a central bore 10 to receive a coil spring 38a which operates between the base member 3 la and the second carrier 5ta. It will be noted that two of the terminal posts 33a are provided with jumpers 31a. arranged to electrically engage bent-out toe portions ll formed in opposite legs of the U- shaped contact member 60a.

The sides of the second carrier 5Ia and the aperture 55a of the lirst carrier 30a are provided with mating polarizing means as at 12 to prevent relative rotation therebetween and to guide the second carrier 51a as it slides along its reciprocatory path through the rst carrier 30a.

Referring to Figure 11 in connection with Figure 14, it will be noted that the end of the second carrier 5|a is provided with a recess 56a. adapted to receive a stem 39a connected to the cylinder 21a. Thus, when the stem 39a is rotated, the second carrier 5 la. will be turned thereby and will, in turn, also rotate the first carrier 30a. The coil spring 38a will normally drive the second carrier 5 'a into engagement with the barrel 25.

It will also 'be noted that a wall 43a is provided between the enlarged portion of the housing Zia and the neck 22a, the wall being provided with a plurality of detents 44a to receive balls 42a, one ball 42a being seated on each of the springs Ha in the recesses 40a.

It will be understood that the operation of the composite switching mechanism Zta will be generally similar to that previously described in connection with the composite switching structure 20, with the possible exception that in plunging the key 29a inwardly, for example, to complete a starting motor circuit, the barrel 26 will be slidably displaced against the compression of the spring 38a. and the U-shaped contact member 60a will be moved from the full line position shown in Figure 11 to the dotted line position, at which time the contacts B' and D will be effectively bridged through the jumpers 31a to complete the circuit leads connected to such contact members.

Although I have resorted to detail in the description of the preferred embodiment structurally incorporating the principles of my invention, it should be understood that I wish to embody within the scope of this patent all such modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim as'r'ny invention:

1. A switching mechanism comprising a housing, a lock reciprocably mounted in said housing and having a rotatable key-actuated cylinder in said lock, a stem connected to said cylinder and extending inwardly into said housing, a rotatable carrier supported in said housing and adapted to be rotatably driven 'by said stem, means between said rotatable carrier and said housing to limit the angular movement thereof, spring biased detent means between one face of said rotatable carrier and said housing arranged to yieldingly retain said rotatable carrier in selected indexed angular positions, a slidable carrier, said rotatable carrier having a trackway to receive said slida'ble carrier, said slidable carrier being engaged by said stem for reciprocation in said trackway, means resiliently biasing said slidable carrier in one direction in said-trackw'ay, a base member in said housing, a plurality of contact terminals carried by said base member in spacedapart relationship to one another, and bridging Contact members carried by said rotatable carrier and said slidable carrier, said lock operably actuatable to rotate said bridging Contact members together with said rotatable carrier and to displace said bridging contact members together with said slidable carrier in and out of contact engagement with said contact terminals.

2. A composite ignition starter accessory switch arrangement for the electrical system of an automotive vehicle, comprising, a key-actuated lock, said lock having cylinder means adapted to be rotatably displaceable in opposite directions from an off-reference position, a first angularlydisplaceable carrier driven by said cylinder means and having a trackway therein, bridging contact means on said first carrier, accessory circuit means having contact terminals arranged to be bridged upon predetermined angular movement of said cylinder means in one direction, ignition circuit means having contact terminals arranged to be bridged upon predetermined movement of said cylinder means in an opposite direction, and a slidable second carlier mounted in said trackway of said i'lrst carrier for reciprocable movement therein, said cylinder means being movable reciprocatorily on an axis normal to the plane of rotation thereof and being drivingly engageable with said second carrier to displace same, bridging contact means on said second carrier, and starter circuit means having contact terminals arranged to be bridged upon a predetermined sliding movement of said second carrier.

Y 3. A switching mechanism comprising a housing, a lock reciprocably mounted in said housing and having a rotatable key-actuated cylinder in said lock, a stem extendinginwardly into said housing and carried by said'cylnder, a rotatable carrier in said housing and adapted to receive said stem for relative angular displacement vwith respect to said housing, said carrier having a lateral trackway therein, means between said carrier and said housing limiting relative angular dis- 65 placement, spring-biased detent means between said rotatable carrier and said housing to yieldingly retain said rotatable carrier in selected angular positions in said housing, a slidable carrier laterally reciprocable in said lateral track- Way' of said rotatable carrier, means resiliently biasing said slidable carrier in one direction in said trackway, a base member closing the end of said housing, a plurality of contact terminals on said base member and spring-biased bridging members cooperable therewith on each of said carriers, resilient means normally biasing said cylinder away from said carriers, and mating cam surfaces between the end of said stem and said slidable carrier to move said slidable carrier laterally upon translation of said stem, whereby said cylinder may be actuated to rotate said bridging contact members on said rotatable carrier and to displace said bridging contact members on said slidable carrier laterally in and out of contact engagement with said contact terminals in response to'xtranslatory motion thereof.

4. A composite ignition starter accessory switch arrangement as deiined in claim 2, wherein said trackway is laterally disposed in said first carrier and said cylinder means and said second carrier are provided with complementary camming surfaces to drive said second carrier in said trackway up'on reciprocation of said cylinder means.

5. A composite ignition starter accessory switch arrangement as defined in claim 2, wherein said trackway is provided by a slot formed in said iirst carrier and said second carrier and the bridging contact means thereon comprise a member conforming in shape to said slot and having a U-shaped bridging contact member thereon and being connected to said cylinder means. 6. A composite ignition starter accessory switch arrangement as defined in claim 2, wherein said rst carrier comprises a ring and said trackway is provided by a central` aperture eX- tending through said ring, said second carrier comprising a member conforming in shape to said central aperture and being connected to said cylinder means.

7." A composite ignition starter accessory switch arrangement as dened in claim 2, wherein said first carrier comprises a generally cylindrical block and said trackway is formed by a slot provided in one face of the block disposed laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the block, said second carrier and said cylinder means having a right angle driving connection to reciprocate said second carrier laterally in said slot upon reciprocating said cylinder means longitudinally relative to said rst carrier. y

RALPH W. HEPT.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS ame Date Number N Heidman Aug. 22, 1950 

